Chapter Text
(POV: Timothy)
„Find the flower…“
„Timothy?“
„You opened my case…“
„TIMOTHY, WAKE UP!“
„Cat…! What?“
„Oh, good, sleeping Beauty woke up. Took him a while.“ A male voice – Mason – said.
„Tim, you okay? That sleeping gas really did a number on you.“ A pretty ginger girl asked.
Wait, no, thats Bree.
„Oh, oh yeah I’m fine… I guess. Didn’t think they’d have the red gas all the way up here…“
„The red gas?“
„Some kind of sleeping gas made of poppy flowers that was mostly used to help us orphans sleep in Playcare. But this version seems a bit toned down. Isn’t as heavy as I remember.“
„They put kids to sleep with this stuff?“ Mason looked angry.
„This was just a toned down version?!“ Bree looked horrified.
„Uh, yeah. Don’t ask me why.“
„Better question, where did Poppy go?“ the former employee asked.
„Well, the only way out right now is that door. So I guess she’s off to that way.“ As Mason opened the door, slowly peeking inside, Bree held out a hand to pull me up from the ground.
I stumbled a bit, got a little too close to Bree, and immediately took four steps back.
The next quiet and empty hallway was suddenly way more interesting than whatever her reaction was.
…
„Sooooooo, how did you two even know I was heading here?“ god, thanks for Mason to break the silence.
„I found that letter in your room.“
„Didn’t I tell you to stay out of it?“
„Mason, the door was wiiiiide open. And I had a feeling that something was off.“
„Just like you had a feeling when saving that blue sour patch monster?“
„No… actually… yeah, I had a feeling. Like as if something would end up really bad.“
„So you two had to get involved into this? This was my thing alone to deal with.“
„Oh come on, we’ve already told you why. This isn’t JUST about you.“
Alright, time to intervene.
„Hey! Calm down you two!“
„Fineee.“ Mason grumbled.
„Sorry.“ Bree whispered.
…
Silence again.
…
„This way…“
…
„Did you guys hear that…?“ the gingers eyes started to scan the hallway.
„Unfortunately, yes, I did.“ Her uncle replied, I just nodded along.
…
We stopped when the hallway split into two, a single red door standing in between the sides.
„ELLIOT LUDWIG“ the golden sign above read.
So this was his office…
Without thinking too much I’ve went ahead to open the door, but it was locked.
Taking a glance into the left way, it turned out to be dead end with some kind of silver roller shutter blocking the path. While there were GrabPack scanners to open it, those two where currently out of power. I could even spot a small pit in the hallway behind.
…
„You two, stay here, don’t run off and stick together. I’m gonna check the hallway on the right.“ The former employee stared us down, then turned away and left.
…
„Is that a bloody bogie bot toy?“
Wait, what’s she talking about… oh.
„Maybe it’s just oil….?“ I tried to be positive.
„I’m in The sanitary club at a school where some idiots tend to punch eachother. I know dried blood when I see it.“ Just as fast as she suddenly gained the ability of sass, she dropped her face back into an emotion of dread.
„What… what do you think happened here, Timothy?“
I began counting down the facts from my fingers: „A giant, fleshy Huggy Wuggy chased us down, some deadly experiments happening somewhere in this factory, countless missing employees and bloodied toys? Not to mention the weird incidents before Playtime shut down – yeah, I remember the research we two made as 12 year olds.“
„That week of rummaging through old newspapers didn’t really bring us anywhere…“ the ginger smiled fondly at the memory.
„Well, nonetheless, I think it’s rather easy to think of multiple scenarios.“
„And what is your biggest conclusion, Mr detective?“
„Since I think that that Huggy is one of the experiments… given his apparent intent of, well, eating us, combined with what that tape said about that Prototype…“ But then a Memory flashed before my eyes: finding Bree crying in front of her mothers grave and fathers Memorial.
Holding her when she barely held herself back from cursing out fate. But she never did that, she’s just too sweet for that.
How old had we been that day? 12? 13? Something like that.
…
I can’t see that again, I can’t make her feel that way again.
„Go on. I’m open to any ideas.“
„But… but your father…“
„Whether he’s still alive or not doesn’t matter right now. I have to eventually accept that I may just never see him again…“ She averted her eyes, tightening her grip around her bag with a mournful, distant look.
I raised may left hand to gently hold her wrist, causing her to turn her eyes back to me.
„We’ll figure it out. Whatever happened to him, I’m sure that you… and me and everyone else will be able to move on.“
„I hope so too… thanks…“ a pretty, unsure smile keeps onto her lips. I smiled back.
„Anyway, I think that… whatever the true nature of those experiments is… they caused the disappearance and… likely death of the employees.“
Please don’t cry, please don’t curse me out for saying this…
…
„As much as it pains me to say, I agree. There’s no way anyone has been alive down here for the past decade. Atleast anyone human hasn’t been.“
Why did I even think that she’d react like that?
Guess I was just too focused on the worst.
…
Come to think of it, there was something else on my mind…
„Bree, remind me, what was your fathers job again?“ I asked as I pulled out my notebook.
„What?“
„Sorry, this is kinda tactless, but I’d like to keep it in mind.“
„Oh…. Well, as far as I remember, his job was about creating and testing new experimental fabrics and materials for the toys“
„That had been his job? Didn’t I see some kind of certificate hanging around back in your uncles house? With your fathers name on it?“
„Mhm, my Aunt once told me that Dad had been studying to become a doctor, but after searching for a while ended up here at Playtime Co. But you should probably ask Mason about this, he way knows more than I do.“
…
A medical background and certificate… experimental fabric… experiments…
„Was… was that helpful?“
„Oh, yeah, yeah it was.“
„Glad I could help. You almost sound like some kind of detective when talking about about this. Heck, you even brought your notebook with you.“
„I actually am thinking of joining the police or investigators one day – and there was no way I’d go here without documenting things.“
Bree just smiled, and I continued writing down my thoughts.
Then we noticed the familiar steps of Mason Heathers coming back from the right hallway.
„Got the key.“ A red, poppy shaped key was held into the air.
What’s with Playtime, or Elliot Ludwig, and Poppy flowers anyway?
He then opened the red door and gestured for us to follow him inside.
Elliot Ludiwgs Office was wooden brown, with a vent sticking out in the back wall. There was his desk, a VHS player up in a corner, two comfy chairs on the left and a reddish carpet on the floor.
… there where also various doodles hanging on the walls, drawn my children. I could’ve sworn to recognise some of their slightly distinct styles. Pictures of children, adults and various toys.
Each of a distant memory… Then I actually recognised one of the sketches.
„Holy Shit.“ I skipped a few steps to the right, carefully taking of a way too familiar doodle.
It was a rough sketch of Home Sweet Home, half heartily filled out with markers (I’ve always preferred to stick with black & white sketches, but they wanted them to be colorful).
On the left side, opposite of the house, was a doodle of… me. Literally titled „Me“ Surrounded by other children. Their supposed names written right over their heads.
A girl with black braids. Bianca.
A blond boy with green eyes. Samuel.
A boy with brown hair, equally tall to the girl. Matthew.
And a black haired boy. Kevin.
They… they were the children I’ve mostly hung out with before getting adopted. I knew that there where people missing, but they where gone before the time of this sketch.
However, above in the sky, there where the doodles of the heads of toys I’ve come to love the most back then.
Two different shaped pink heads, one with a red mouth, the other with green eyes. Kissy and Mommy.
A white and teal smiling face with a horn. CraftyCorn.
A blue elephant. Bubba Bubbaphant.
And lastly… my old, best toy friend… CatNap, in all his messy drawn, purple glory.
…
„Timothy, you okay?“
„Hm? Oh, I’m fine, just… reminiscing.“
„Is that your drawing? Cute.“ She thinks I’m – no – my drawing is cute?
„Eh, I’ve gotten better at this, but thanks.“
…
„Stay tuned for more“
„Fuck, since when was the Player on?!“
„Sorry not sorry.“ Mason snickered and continued to examine the desk of the very own founder of Playtime Co.
Then he stopped, suddenly turning back to serious mode.
„Tim, Bree, you might want to see this.“ He held up a note.
Sparked with curiosity, we stepped forwards, reading the note:
„Experiment 814 Notes:
- This Experiment utilized a lab rat.
- Rat was fed 3 portions daily for 2 weeks.
- At the end of the two weeks, the rat was killed and submerged into a poppy flower and preservative gel mixture.
- 1 week later, an electric shock was applied to the rat (still in the gel) in an attempt to revive it.
- The rat remained unresponsive.
Analysis: I still believe in the potential use of the poppy flower. It’s unusual properties lead me to believe that the proper mixture and procedures could have life altering properties. The poppy flower has for a long time carried heavy symbolism, and I don’t believe that’s for no reason. Perhaps somethings larger than a rat would yield different results.“
…
„Huh, so these experiments go all the way back to 1960 something?“ I mused out loud, though the others were too uneasy to continue that train of thought.
I then just took the Note and placed it into my block.
„…Alright, let’s see what’s on the other side of that vent.“ The former Employee said as he already headed towards it.
Bree and i followed right after.
~-~-~-~-~
Leaping down to the floor I almost jumped right back up as a huge box fell down from the right side of the room.
And where it was before now stood…
„Oh, Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.“ The living, talking Poppy Doll said, looking down from above.
„I Just… wanted to get the Power back on.“
…
„Of course she’s alive“ The blonde grumbled.
And while Mason started to fix the power, Bree and I held a staring contest with a doll.
„So… Is your name actually Poppy or something else?“ The Ginger started.
„Poppy, that’s my Name.“
…
„You two look too young to have been working here. Who are you? And why come here?“
I opened my mouth to say that it’s none of her buisness, but Bree was already replying.
„My Name is Brianna, but you can call me Bree. My father used to work here, which is why Timothy and I followed my Uncle Mason, who also worked here, into the factory.“
Alright, guess it wouldn’t change anything mentioning this aswell „And I was an orphan down in Playcare“
A small pause on her side, perhaps a flicker of recognition?
„I see.“
Then a quick tune broke the silence that followed, signifying that the Power was back on again. With a thumbs up the former employee joined us two in the… conversation with Poppy.
The doll clapped her hands, a quick, bubbly laugh escaping from her lips „I wanted to thank you for freeing me. I was stuck in there for so long.“
„Er, no problem?“ Mason replied, focusing on the literal living doll in front of us.
„I’d like to pay you back“ Said doll then turned around, stepping into a miniature sized vent behind her, perfect for her size.
Her voice echoed as she walked behind these walls. „There’s a train station nearby. It needs a code. And I have it… we’re gonna get out of here.“
…
„As soon as you get on up here!“ Poppy peeks out next to the big vent we originally came from moments ago.
„W-wait, a train that gets us out here? Out of the factory?“ Bree questioned.
„Of course! We shouldn’t stay in a place like this…“ Her tone dropped at the last part.
„I agree.“
„Mason, please don’t start that discussion again. We can‘t just leave when we have an actually chance of finding the truth“ Brees eyes sparkled with this determination as she once again stood firmly on her ground.
But an argument, even with someone as passive and peaceful as Bree was not what we needed right now.
What to do…?
…
„Poppy, the train also has access to Playcare, doesn’t it?“ As I mentioned the orphanage, her face showed a variety of emotions: Numbness, fear, hate, confusion.
„Yes, it does…“
„And it can probably connect to other parts of the factory aswell, can’t it?“
„Maybe not this Train specifically, but we could change stations to get around.“ this time the answer came from the former employee.
„Why do you ask?“
„Because we could also use the train to explore faster…“ Well, judging their reactions, Poppy and Mason sure didn’t like that idea.
But before they could counter I continued „What I mean to say is, we don’t have to decide yet. One way or another, we’d have to get to the train first. So, how about we think about this on our way there. Then we can discuss this.“
…
„Alright, I guess that’s reasonable.“ Bree and Mason nodded along to Poppy.
…
„Now come on! We can’t wait forever.“ Huh, back to a childlike joyous voice? I really needed to ask Poppy an abundance of question later.
Bree held onto her Uncle as he pulled himself upwards to the vent with his Grabpack.
Would my blue hand alone even be enough to pull me up? Then again, the Grabpack can handle a ton of weight.
„While I’m still a doll…“
„Yeah, you have some explaining to do. I’d don’t like the implications of you and others existing.“ I pointed an accusing finger at Poppy, then pulled myself up aswell.
„I never liked the facts either…“ it was but a whisper, but I still managed to catch it.
Then I followed the others through the vent.